We've just come back from holiday at a house which had lovely soft water 
and I was 
at how little shower gels etc was needed and how clean everything looked - we have very hard water here and a few hours after I clean the sink it looks all marked and limescaley and it's all a nightmare to clean but these ones looked nice and shiny a week later.
So DH and I are considering buying a water softening system for our house but have no idea about where to start. I've googled but just got all 
about where to start. All I know is you have to add salt to it regularly (not sure if that's all systems though) and I think you may not be able to drink the water, but other than that, I know diddly squat. Can anyone offer any help? 